Update 4/7/24. Does Viviscal help thinning hair grow thicker and stronger or is it a scam? Viviscal is one of the best-known hair growth supplements. And for good reason. There are several clinical studies on this dietary supplement. In this review, you will learn about the research on ViviScal to help you decide if it really works or not. In addition, I'll address the side effects some people are reporting. Does it really work? Let's see.
Viviscal Ingredients
According to the Supplement Facts label, 1 tablet of Viviscal Extra Strength has the following ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount per serving | Percent Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Total Carbohydrates | <1 g | <1% DV |
| Vitamin C | 59 mg | 98% DV |
| Niacinamide (Niacin) | 12 mg | 60% DV |
| Biotin | 120 micrograms | 40% DV |
| Iron | 10 mg | 56% DV |
| Zinc | 11 mg | 73% DV |
| AminoMar Marine Complex | 450 mg | N/A |
| Horsetail Extract | 36.7 mg | N/A |
| Millet Seed Extract | 7.5 mg | N/A |
No prescription is needed to buy Viviscal.
AminoMar Marine Complex
The AminoMar complex is said to be the main key ingredient. The AminoMar Marine Complex is composed of:
- Shark Powder (shark cartilage)
- Mollusk Powder (from Oysters)
What parts of sharks and mollusks are used in Viviscal, I can't say. But, these ingredients do come from “sustainable marine sources.”
I called the company that makes the supplement and was informed shark cartilage is part of the AminoMar complex. The name “AminoMar” complex is the name the company gives to the shark and mollusk powder combination.
Horsetail Extract
The scientific name for this is Equisetum arvense. While they don't tell us what extract of horsetail Viviscal contains, we are told it comes from the stem. What I can say is that when I searched the National Library of Medicine for “Horsetail and hair growth” and “Equisetum arvense and hair” no studies showed up.
Horsetail does appear to have some anti-inflammatory properties and I wonder if this might help “support” hair growth. I am speculating about this.
Millet Seed Extract
The scientific name for this is Sorghum bicolor. It's also called “broom corn,” a reference I believe comes from when this stuff was used to make brooms. The role it plays in human hair growth, I can't say.
Vitamin C
I located one study on vitamin C and hair growth. Technically this study was on a vitamin C-like compound called L ascorbic acid 2 phosphate. Basically, the compound caused the elongation of hair shafts in mice and also in isolated hair follicles in a test tube.
This is intriguing but as far as can be determined by this reporter, no study has shown that L ascorbic acid 2 phosphate caused hair growth in a human. What about vitamin C itself? Does vitamin C grow hair? Well, it does help us make collagen. Collagen is a protein in our hair. But, I could not find any direct proof for vitamin C supplements promoting hair growth.
Viviscal Before & After Proof
See the research and before and after pictures
Watch on my Youtube channel if you prefer
Niacinamide
This is the type of niacin found in the product. My guess is niacinamide is used because it does not cause facial flushing and redness.
Some may have heard of an anti-aging supplement called nicotinamide riboside (NR). While NR is not in Viviscal, it does contain one of its building blocks – niacinamide.
See the nicotinamide riboside review for more on that supplement.
Biotin
Biotin, a B vitamin (sometimes called vitamin H) is found in many shampoos and other hair products. While a lack of biotin may lead to hair loss in some people, I'm not convinced that most of us are lacking in it because many foods provide it. Bacteria inside of us can make it too. Either way, while a lack of biotin might lead to hair loss, I'm not aware of any evidence that biotin supplements grow hair.
Iron and Zinc
Viviscal provides a good amount of both of these minerals and both of these minerals have been linked to hair loss. For more on this see this review of iron and hair loss and zinc and hair loss.
There is a Viviscal for Men but it does not have iron. I think this is wise because too much iron may not be healthy for men.
Other Ingredients
Viviscal also contains these “other ingredients” according to the product website:
- Microcrystalline cellulose
- Maltodextrin
- Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose
- Silicon dioxide
- Magnesium stearate
- Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose
- Glycerol
- Artificial orange flavoring
- Modified starch
Ingredients are listed in order as they occur as they appear on the label. These ingredients don't play any role in the hair growth benefits of Viviscal.
ViviScal Research
Let’s review the Viviscal research next.
Pilot Study #1 (not published)
Study title. “A 10-week pilot consumer perception test to evaluate the overall acceptability of a viviscal oral supplement when used by females with self-perceived thinning hair.”
This study involved 40 women and lasted 40 weeks. Results indicate that Viviscal reduces hair loss by 46%.
Problems with this study. This investigation does not seem to be a published peer-reviewed study Also, it's said they started with 40 women, but only 16 completed the study. Why did so many drop out? This high dropout rate reduces the significance of the study.
Clinical Study #2
Researchers in Finland published what appears to be the very first published Viviscal clinical study. The investigation lasted 6 months and involved 40 young men. Half the people got ViviScal and half received a placebo (fish extract).
After 6 months, those taking Viviscal had a 38% increase in non-vellus hair (in other words hair that’s not “peach fuzz”). Those getting the placebo saw a 2% increase in non-vellus hair. That's pretty good.
Clinical Study #3
Study title. Treatment of Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis and Alopecia Universalis with Oral Viviscal® for 12 months.
This study appears to have been conducted in 1994.
Study problem. This does not seem to be a published, peer-reviewed study.
Clinical Study #4
Revista Brasileira de Medicina. 1997. Vol 53; No. 3; p 1-5. Pareira, Jose Marcos.
This study does not appear to be in English and can’t be located.
From what I could gather, researchers looked at 200 men with male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). After 6 months of ViviScal treatment, 75.3% had decreased hair loss. 14.6% of men showed partial hair re-growth.
2012 Study
Researchers in the US conducted a small study of 10 women aged 21-75 years of age who had thinning hair. The women took either Viviscal (10 women in this group) or a placebo (5 women in this group) twice a day for 6 months.
After 6 months, those taking Viviscal showed significantly more hair growth compared to the placebo group, which showed more hair loss. Those taking Viviscal also reported more hair shine and skin improvements.
2015 Study
This investigation lasted 3 months and involved 60 women (21-65 years of age) who were either given Viviscal Extra Strength (2x per day) or a placebo. After 3 months of use, women who took Viviscal:
- Had more hair in the areas of their scalps measured
- Had less hair shedding
Women also reported they felt better also. It's possible they felt better because their new hair growth helped their confidence and outlook on life.
2016 Study
This investigation involved men with thinning hair. For 6 months, 60 men with thinning hair were given either a placebo or ViviScal. After 6 months, men taking the supplement were shown to have significant improvements in
- total hairs counted
- density of hairs
- more terminal hairs (terminal hairs are the thick hair on the head)
When researchers performed the “hair pull test' fewer hairs were removed. This appears to show ViviScal strengthened hair too.
See the video review of ViviScal for before and after pictures.
Summary of Research
Here is a quick summary of the research. Refer to the studies above to see their specifics.
| Study | Study Results |
|---|---|
| Pilot Study (unpublished) | Viviscal works |
| 1992 study | Viviscal works |
| 1997 study | Viviscal works |
| 2012 study | Viviscal works |
| 2015 study | Viviscal works |
| 2016 study | Viviscal works |
Viviscal vs. Viviscal Extra Strength
There are different types of Viviscal. When I called Viviscal, I was told that this mostly has to do with the number of Amino Mar complexes they have. Here are the differences between them:
- Viviscal Extra Strength: 450 mg
- Viviscal For Men: 450 mg
- Viviscal Professional: 475 mg
When I called the company, I was told the professional version (Viviscal Pro) was not to be sold to the public. it's only available through doctors or salons.
Viviscal For Men
I get a lot of questions about which hair growth supplements are best for men. Here are the ingredients in Viviscal Extra Strength vs. Viviscal For Men side by side:
| Viviscal Extra Strength | Viviscal For Men |
|---|---|
| Total carbs <1g (<1%DVP | Total carbs <1 g (<1%DV) |
| Vitamin C 59 mg (98%DV) | Vitamin C 30 mg (50% DV) |
| Niacin 12 mg (60% DV) | Zinc 8 mg (53% DV) |
| Biotin 120 mcg (40% DV) | N/A |
| Iron 10 mg (56% DV) | N/A |
| Zinc 11 mg (73% DV) | 8 mg (53% DV) |
| Amino Mar Complex 450 mg | Amino Mar Complex 452.9 mg |
| Horsetail 36.7 mg | Horsetail 24.5 mg |
| Millet seed 7.5 mg | N/A |
| Flaxseed extract 50 mg |
In the table above % DV = percent daily value. “N/A” = does not contain that nutrient.
As can be seen, both the men's and women's versions are very similar. They both have the same key ingredients. In fact, the Male version has a tad more of the Amino Mar Marine complex and Horsetail extract compared to Viviscal Extra Strength. Also, note that Millet Seed Extract has been replaced with Flaxseed Extract in the Men's version. I liked that the Men's version did not contain iron. Too much iron might not be good for men.
Bottom line: I believe men could take the women's version and have the same results as if they took the men's version. Since the men's version may be more expensive, this is something to consider.
Viviscal vs. The Competition
Let's now take a look at how the supplement stacks up to other popular hair growth supplements.
Viviscal vs. Nutrafol
Nutrafol is another very popular hair supplement. Like Viviscal, there is a version for men and women. Nutrafol is said to work by reducing inflammation and inhibiting a hormone called DHT. Nutrafol has more ingredients than Viviscal. Nutrafol does have 1 clinical study showing it might work. So which is better? It would be nice to see a head-to-head comparison of Nutrafol vs.
Viviscal. I won't hold my breath for that to happen anytime soon.
Watch this video: Nutrafol vs. Viviscal
Viviscal vs. Provillus
The Provillus website (Provillus.com) states that it is “Clinically Proven and FDA Approved.” And they are correct. It is. This is because Provillus is minoxidil (Rogaine), the hair growth drug we've all heard of. Provillus is not a supplement. Provillus is a 5% solution of minoxidil that's applied topically to the scalp. It's no different than any other kind of minoxidil you've seen.
In theory, Viviscal might work better with minoxidil. They both have studies showing they can help women and men. Fortunately, Rogaine (minoxidil) is available without a prescription and it's not too expensive.
Viviscal vs. Keranique
Keranique is touted as a hair growth system. There is Keranique shampoo, conditioner, Keranique Regrowth Treatment, and hair spray. The Keranique Regrowth Treatment contains “the only FDA-approved and clinically proven non-prescription ingredient to regrow hair and revitalize hair follicles.” It does – the ingredient is minoxidil (Rogaine). Keranique may be a fine product that can help support hair growth, but it's the minoxidil in it that regrows hair.
While there are no head-to-head studies comparing Viviscal to Keranique, in theory, they may work better together when combined with the minoxidil in Keranique's Regrowth Treatment serum.
Viviscal vs. Halo Beauty
Halo Beauty is a skin, nails, and hair supplement by YouTube star Tati Westbrook. Halo Beauty is a combination of various vitamins, herbs, and other compounds. While there is a little crossover between these two supplements (Halo Beauty has vitamin C and horsetail, too), it doesn't have the Amino Mar complex. So, how they stack up to each other is unknown.
Viviscal vs. Joyome
Joyome is an anti-wrinkle cream developed by the makers of Plexus Slim. As far as it can be determined, Joyome has no effects on hair growth or hair loss. As such, I don't think these products are comparable to each other. Here's my video review of Plexus Joyome:
Viviscal Side Effects
I believe Viviscal is safe for healthy people. Few side effects and adverse reactions have been reported. Here is a brief list of things to consider when taking this supplement. This list is not complete:
- Start with less than is recommended for the first week to see how you respond.
- Speak to your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Stop taking at least 2 weeks before having surgery.
- Show the supplement to your pharmacist if you take any prescription medications like blood thinners.
- Avoid this supplement if you are vegan.
- Speak to your doctor first if you are allergic to fish. Viviscal contains shark cartilage and mollusk powder.
- Viviscal has iron and vitamin C. Speak to your doctor if you have hemochromatosis (iron overload disease).
- There's no good proof that Viviscal causes liver damage. However, if you have liver disease, speak to your doctor first.
In “scientific study #1” summarized above, there is mention of a study participant getting headaches which caused the person to drop out of the study. In the Pdf file of this study – which you can view on the Viviscal website – they make reference to “Appendix V” which lists the reasons why people dropped out of the study. Unfortunately, Appendix V is not part of the Pdf file.
Viviscal And Sleep Problems
If you read the comments below, you'll notice several people reporting that Viviscal may cause insomnia. I saw no mention of insomnia in any of the Viviscal clinical studies so it's not known how common this is.
Horsetail does contain small amounts of nicotine. It's very little, but could this cause sleep problems? I can't say. For more on this topic, read the comments section below.
Does Viviscal Contain Mercury?
I called the company that makes this supplement – Church & Dwight Co. I was told that Viviscal does not contain mercury. The controversy over this involves shark cartilage powder. Previous research has noted that shark cartilage supplements may contain toxic mercury. But this doesn't mean Viviscal has mercury. When I called the Viviscal company, I was told their latest testing showed levels of mercury were 0.02 mg per kg, which is lower than the amount permitted by both US and EU standards.
I was also told the version of Viviscal sold on Amazon does not contain any mercury at all. It's at a zero level. This is because of the rules Amazon must follow when shipping internationally. Church and Dwight formulates a different version for Amazon that does not contain any shark cartilage, a source of mercury. Because the Amazon version does not contain shark cartilage, this means it also does not contain any mercury.
Does Viviscal Contain BMAA?
β-Methylamino-L-alanine, also known as BMAA, is a brain toxin that is produced by some types of bacteria (called cyanobacteria) and other microorganisms. BMAA has been implicated in the development of Parkinson's disease and ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Because BMAA has been found in shellfish, this is of concern to some who use Viviviscal. Thankfully, this is not a problem. I called the Church & Dwight company and asked about the amount of BMAA in Viviscal. I was told Viviscal does not contain any BMAA.
Viviscal And Gaining Weight
Some people have also reported Viviscal has caused them to gain weight. None of the studies reported this side effect. I am not sure how common weight gain side effect is or if it might be a fluke? See the comments for more on this.
Who Makes Viviscal?
Viviscal is sold by Lifes2good (Lifes2Good.com), a company that markets many health and beauty products. While the global corporate office is located in Ireland, in the US, they can be found at 355 N Canal Street, Chicago, IL 60606. They also have an office in London.
Lifes2Good is part of a larger company called Church & Dwight Co., Inc, located in New Jersey. This organization has several familiar brands including OxyClean, Kaboom, Orajel, and even Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Church and Dwight is a publicly-traded company (stock symbol CHD).
I was told they are phasing out the Lifs2good name and just using Church & Dwight in the future.
The Lifes2good company has been in business since 1997 according to the Better Business Bureau. The BBB gave this company a rating of A+ when this review was updated. See the BBB file for updates and more information.
Church and Dwight has an D rating with the BBB. See the BBB file for updates and more information.
Contact Viviscal
According to the company website, customer support can be reached at 877-333-4581. The Better Business Bureau also provides this number: 312-454-6167. The address for Viviscal is 355 N Canal St, Chicago, IL 60606-1207. The product website states the supplement is made in Ireland.
Church and Dwight, which now owns Viviscal, is located at 500 Charles Ewing Blvd Princeton South Corporate Center Trenton, NJ 08628-3448. The phone number is 609-683-5900.
Finola Hughes And ViviScal
Previously, actress Finola Hughes has appeared in Viviscal ads. She is listed on the website as a spokesperson. I assume this means she’s a paid spokesperson.
Viviscal And Molly Sims
Actress, model, and author Molly Sims is also a spokesperson. She is listed as a 20-year user of Viviscal. Her story of how she started losing her hair in her 20s is on the product website. I assume she is a paid spokesperson.
Buy Viviscal
This supplement is VERY popular and can be purchased at a wide range of stores like Walgreens, Costco, BJs, Sam's Club, Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Ulta, and Target as well as on Amazon. Here is Viviscal on Amazon
Viviscal Cost
Viviscal extra strength costs $99 per bottle according to the supplement's website. There is also a scalp lotion which is $19.99 but it doesn't have the same ingredients as the pill– and there is no good proof that the scalp lotion helps re-grow hair. The same thing is true for Viviscal shampoo and other products.
My advice: stick with Viviscal tablets. Don't worry about the shampoo or scalp lotion.
Interestingly, the shampoo does not contain caffeine, which is part of Thicker Fuller Hair I reviewed previously.
Viviscal Elite
The Elite supplement contains an auto-ship program where they send you a 90-day supply every 3 months (90 days) so you don't run out. Shipping is free with the Elite program and some free gifts are included also. It looks like the Elite program is for combo products. There seems to be no proof the Elite program offers clinically proven advanges over the regular viviscal formula.
Viviscal Pro & Con
| Pro | Con |
| Supplement has research | May take 3-6 months to see changes |
| All studies show it works | |
| Company supports studies | |
| The company is well known | |
| Reports show no side effects | |
| Seems to work in women and men |
Other Hair Products
Several people have told me that they have gotten good results using a product called Toppik. This is not a hair growth supplement but rather a fine powder that binds to existing hair, making it look thicker and fuller. I have met people with thinning hair who have used this product, and they give it high marks.
The Church and Dwight Co. now owns Toppik (smart move if you ask me).
Does ViviScal Work?
Viviscal has various clinical studies to prove it grows thinning hair and/or slows hair loss. For the most part, the studies appear to be well done. In the testimonials below, several people have stated it does work. Based on the research and testimonials, this may be something worth trying.
Here's Viviscal on Amazon
Other Hair Growth Supplement Reviews
- Viviscal vs. Nutrafol Review
- PHYTO Re30 Review
- Castor Oil: Does It Grow Hair?
- Gray Hair Supplements Review
- Pseudocatalase Review
- Halo Beauty Review
- Amla Fruit and Hair Growth Review
- Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss?
- Hair Essentials Review
- Rosemary oil for Balding and Regrowing Hair (video)
Women over 50 and postmenopausal women should not take an iron supplement either! You may want to include that in your discussion of this product, as it is marketed to women, too. Thanks for your investigation on this product.
Hi Donna, thanks for the feedback 🙂
I am 18+ female. Suffering from androgenetic alopecia. 9 years back I had fatty liver problems. Now it is cured. But anyhow is there any risk of taking viviscal?
Hi Nabanita, not that I am aware of. You can always get your liver enzymes checked by your doctor a few weeks after you start Viviscal to see if anything has changed. Let us know what happens if you try this.
Anyone else have thoughts on this for Nabanita?
When my grandpa had cancer he was actually taking shark cartilage pills, as recommended by his his doctor. I’m not sure why , but it appears to be a good supplement for cancer patients. Maybe I’m finding an excuse to not feel guilty about the shark cartilage ( I am a vegetarian and love animals), but no one seems to have an issue with fish oil pills… Also, the chopping off of the fin and leaving the animal to suffer is due to making shark fin soup… Sharks bodies are cartilage, why would the fin just be used for cartilage when they can use the whole shark? I don’t think shark cartilage pills have anything to do with ” finning ” at all.
Hi Krissy, that is an interesting point. I admit not being up on shark fin soup or finning. Back in the 90s there was hope that shark cartilage might help cancer. This was probably spurred by a segment on 60 Minutes. My guess is that might be why your grandpa was told to take it?
Since your a vegetarian, have you read the book, How Not To Die? It’s fascinating.
Read about the horroble treatment of sharks- by the Japanese-they are captured and their fins are cutoff and then they are dumped alive back into the ocean to die-Disgusting!!!
Kg, it really is sad when one thinks about it. I wonder if the ingredients in Viviscal are synthetic? This would avoid what you bring up. Does anyone know?
I am skeptical of all hairloss products tbh, there are only 2 that are recommended by the fda and the best seems to be propecia which i refuse to touch due to sides. A hair doctor told me about 4 years ago to use bioxsine shampoo and while it will not regrow anything or be a cure i do notice my hair is noticeably thicker and fuller looking after use if that helps anybody, another very good shampoo I use is nanogen for men which also thickens and can certainly help in restoring confidence even if it is temporary, it’s better than nothing. Again, I am not here to promote anything I am just telling you my personal experiences.
My advice to anyone is to understand and accept that there is no cure or holy grail for hair loss nor will there be any time in the next 20 years, transplants work the best but even they come with a lot of problems- cost, they cannot stop hair loss progression, they cannot restore hair to original/desired density levels and studies show many men are left disappointed with results, the best doctors are armani and rahal but they only work best with younger patients with minimal hair loss …
The best ‘cure’ today for hair loss are hair systems- wigs yes but if you research them you will see that the best suppliers/salons when done right can restore hair to 100 percent perfection but again this comes with problems due to cost, maintenance and the psychological stress/issues that come along with it.
I have been taking Viviscal for a year, & cannot really notice a difference. If I thought it was working, why am I on Pinterest looking for hair growth solutions? I’m about to try castor oil and other natural ingredients to help with keeping and growing my hair.
Hi Mary, Here is my castor oil hair growth review.
Hello, im sorry to hear its not working, im gutted now as ive got 6 months supply and have patches of alopecia underneath…ive only been taking it 2 weeks and i realise it takes months to work, so this is disheartening to read you’ve taken it for a year…..Did the castor oil work?
Hi Tracy, for what its worth here is my Castor Oil Hair growth review in case you missed it.
I’m sorry if I burst anyone’s bubble with what I have to say about Viviscal but I wanted to share my experience with this product.
I’ve been using Viviscal Extra Strength, as well as, Viviscal Professional for the past 8 months or so with no hair regrowth at all, and actually, appear to have lost even more. I keep hoping the longer I take it, it will eventually ‘kick’ in. So far, that’s not happening.
My hair has been thinning for the past 10-12 years and I’ve tried many different products, none of which has worked. I was truly hopeful when I started reading about Viviscal and couldn’t wait to start it. Unfortunately, it’s been just another disappointment.
I hope others who try it have better success.
Thank you for doing this, it’s very helpful. I will give it a try and hopefully I will be able to share my success.
Hi Joyce, its my pleasure and I hope it helps!
Personally I have found my hair to be worse in the sense that it appears thinner. I use the shampoo/conditioner and I take the pills. I don’t like the way my hair feels with the shampoo and certainly doesn’t make it look thicker.
Now on a good note my hair doesn’t seem to be breaking/shedding as much but that could be due to multiple factors and nothing to do with Viviscal. I’m unsure yet as to how I feel. I think most people will try just about anything if they ‘think’ it could work. Personally I’m not so optimistic.
I heard about this product from a family friend and want to try it. I’m 36 yrs old women and over the last 2 years my hair has started shedding and thinning out to the point where I’m scalp is starting to become visible in certain light. The only thing that is stopping me from trying it is the fear of growing hair in other places, i.e. facial hair. Is this a side effect?
Hi Cayce, If it helps, I’ve never heard that Viviscal promotes facial hair growth. I don’t think anyone here has reported it either. I don’t think any of the studies mentioned it either.
Hello, i’m a guy. Is it safe to use viviscal extra strength? Thanks.
Hi Henry, I believe it is. The big difference between Viviscal extra strength and viviscal for men is that the mens version doesn’t have any iron. I think they did this for health reasons (too much iron isn’t too good for us guys) but the important thing is that the amount of active ingredient (AminoMar C) is basically the same.
If you try it let us other guys know how it works for you.
I used Viviscal extra strength for 4 months, did not notice any difference, so stopped it. I am glad I did, as I started to have awful abdominal and back pain. After a visit to the ER and a CT scan, kidney stones were detected. I never had kidney stones, nor did anyone else in my family.
The key ingredient in Viviscal is Shark Cartilage. I just checked on Harvard Medical site if this is safe to take – it is detrimental as there is an over-abundance of calcium formation in the kidneys!! BEWARE!
Hi Vicki, I’ve never seen anywhere that Viviscal has shark cartilage.
Viviscal Professional tablets have AminoMar which is shark cartilage and mollusk powder. It says so in their pamphlet and my doctor told me when she sold it to me.
Hi Ramona, you are correct, Viviscal does contain shark cartilage. I was told that when I called the company. I have updated my review to include this as well. Thank you for the assist.
Yes it works!!! I have been using it for 2 years so I am a good commenter 🙂
Here’s the deal. It took 8 months (Viviscal Extra Strength). My hair came out like a beautiful mane. I grew new hair and it was shiny and strong. It took 8 months for me to finally have nice hair. I took 2 pills a day for 8 months. I then went to 1 pill a day for 18 months and I noticed this week that my hair is getting thinner again.
I have bad hair genetics and I’m 45 years old. I have very fine corn silk hair, but it has a wave to it.
What happened (according to Viviscal) is the vitamin deficiency came back and so I am now taking 2 pills a day again.
Some people need to take 2 pills a day for good, just to get the minerals and vitamins they need for their hair. I’m one of them.
I’m also now taking Viviscal Professional my hair salon sells it. I just started the box yesterday and I kid you not, I woke up this morning to gorgeous shiny roots. YES IT WORKS!!! It is not a gimmick
Hi Louise, thanks for sharing and I’m very happy Viviscal is helping you.
I have someone here with terrible hair shedding and thinning and wants to try Viviscal. Would it cause a bad interaction with Metoprolol and/or Escitopram?
Hi Cookie, While I’m not aware of any drug interactions with Viviscal but to be honest, I’m just not sure either way. Why dont you try this: show the ingredients to the pharmacist where the person gets her/his meds from and see if they have any insights.
Hair loss is probably due to metoprolol.
I’ve always had fine but very thick hair. For the past few months I have had an excessive amount of shedding..driving me crazy, on the floor, in my food, even in my pj’s!! I had a biopsy done of the scalp and it came back as “consistent with female pattern baldness” however the word consistent is misleading. I do not have any bald patches, my center part at the front is nice and tight, it’s only at the crown where I notice some thinning.
I’m trying Viviscal extra strength, have been on them about 3 weeks. I seem to notice less shedding, but then again I’m wondering if it’s just coincidental and that perhaps this was due to a very serve case of Shingles I had last August, upper left side of my face/eye, last about 3 months and I still have a spot where it started.
I really don’t think enough is known about hair loss/shedding unless it is genetics. I’m hoping time and Viviscal will help. I did try Rogaine Foam, noticed more shedding, headaches and burning so discontinued using it.
Cat, I can’t be sure but sometimes crown thinning is associated with possible kidney dysfunction/weakness. It might not hurt to research that possibility.
Hi Bern
I had my Serum Ferritin tested in June and it came back at 13 very low!. My doctor prescribed 210 mg Ferrous Fumerate tablets two a day. I had my bloods checked last week and my Ferritin is now up to 94. I had a baby by c section in August so at the moment I am shedding but I am assuming this is the normal post partum shedding (whilst pregnant my shedding completely stopped and hair restored to that of when I was a teenager) that occurs after pregnancy. I am hopeful that once the post partum shedding stops my chronic TE will stop and my hair will restore back to normal.
I will post my results later in the year.
Kelly
Hi I was diagnosed with a mild form of alopecia. I noticed a quarter size bald spot in the back of my head and the dermatologist recommended I take viviscal along with monthly injections of Cortizone on the affected area till hair growth is fully restored. Keeping my fingers crossed that this works . She said it takes about 3 months to see a change.
Hi Patty, much success! Keep us all posted on how you are doing too!
Be very careful of Cortisone injections. I took Cortisone shots and then my hair fell out in clumps. I know dermatologists recommend it but I read that it can cause hair loss. Unfortunately that happened me.
It should grow back without viviscal. My sister had the same problem you did. She got one cortisone injection. Her hair grew back eventually. I read bad things about cortisone injections though. In any event, she didn’t use viviscal. Now my personal experience, I used viviscal for an entire year and I saw no difference in my hair. Maybe the extra strength really isn’t enough of a dose.
However I did read that their amino complex has shark cartilage in it and that shark cartilage helps hair growth. So, I went out and bought shark cartilage a few days ago. It’s a stronger dose and much cheaper.
Hi Lisa, I’ve never see that Viviscal has shark cartilage.
Would never use this garbage. It has animal products such as Shark Fin. Speaking as a vegetarian I would never use. Solgar Skin Hair and Nails with MSM is a vitamin works just as good. No animal product’s. You can buy MSM alone. Buy good quality US made. It is a sulfate and has other benefits too. Look it up.
Chipolte, While I respect your point of view as a vegetarian, for what its worth, Im not aware of any evidence MSM grows hair. I also don’t see anything in solgar skin hair and nails that makes me think it grows hair either. Because I’m far from perfect, I’m always open to seeing studies on these products that say otherwise.
Wow! Thank you so much CS. I am an huge animal advocate and vegan. I just began researching this product and I’m so glad I found your post There are so many valid reasons to not support the use of shark fins. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
What is the effect of Viviscal on diabetic patients? Im finding my glucose level has gone up and don’t know if it is related to Viviscal.
Thank you
Hi Ana, I’m honestly not sure. I dont believe Ive ever seen anything either way on Viviscal and glucose levels. How long were you taking it when you noticed your glucose going up? Do you test your glucose at the same time of the day?
Hi
I am diabetic and have been taking Viviscal Extra Strength for just over a month. I take my blood sugar readings every morning when I get up and have always had normal results. However, I noticed that from the initial day I took Viviscal my blood sugar results were raised and have increased to an unacceptable for the last week or so.
I did some research and found that the marine substance included in the tablets, did indeed, raise blood glucose levels.
From today I am only going to take one tablet per day and see if there is a difference.
Hazel
Hi hazel where did you see it might raise blood sugar levels? Let us know if how your blood sugar levels are doing.
I found a number of sites that stated that shark cartilage raised blood sugar levels. including Medline Plus and Health Day. I know that you state that you do not know what part of the shark is used but, as I have had no recent problems with my diabetes levels, the coincidence seems likely that Viviscal is the cause.
I will let you know if reducing the tablets to one per day does work.
Hi Hazel, thanks. While I’m not sure I don’t think there is shark cartilage in Viviscal. Yes, do keep me posted.
Since the reason for the hair loss of patients who saw new growth is not stated-couldn’t it just be that there were issues that caused the initial hair loss that were resolved naturally and just coincided with the Viviscal? Telegen Effluvium, stress, childbirth, illness-hair loss unless medically diagnosed can be caused by many things and the natural time for hair to grow back is between 3-6 months after the initial event.
As a consumer, unless these studies were done in a controlled double blind placebo manner with the nature of the hair loss known prior to starting treatment could any success be documented as a result of taking Viviscal so please comment.
Hi Barbara, I do also wish better studies would be conducted.
Hey Joe,
I used to have a very thick hair and now you can see my scalp. My white floor is full of hair (handful). I’ve been using Hair Essentials off and on For 3 mos. Of taking it I found that I have some baby fine hair growing but the falling out haven’t stop.
Then after 3 mos. I stop seeing those baby hair and still keep on falling. I’m thinking of trying Viviscal. I’m so desperate. I miss my thick hair and embarrassed with my thinning hair. Will you recommend Viviscal??
Hi Llewellyn, so sorry to hear about what you have been going through. I can understand how stressful all this is for you. I try not to “recommend” products as I like to stay unbiased about these things but for what its worth, it cant hurt to try it. I dont feel it will be a miracle although some people here to report good effects. If you try it and it helps – or doesn’t – I hope you will let us all know what happens
I also hope you have been to a dermatologist too to see what might be the cause of your hair loss. I also feel consulting with an endocrinologist (hormone doctor) might be wise also.
Solgar skin hair and nail with MSM is said to work wonders. It is a vitamin. It is on Amazon. I take for my nails but I also notice less hair shedding
Check with an endocrinologist for sure. Hormone imbalances definitely affect hair loss and growth. I’ve only been taking this product for about 3-4 weeks. Too early to note any changes. I have thyroid issues and hair starts to fall when levels are off. Improves when levels are adjusted. Hoping this product will help me grow back what I lost.